Refrigerated sales display kit



Oct. 21, 1952 PETTY 2,614,397

REFRIGERATED SALES DISPLAY KIT Filed Sept. 7, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 A llornyy Patented Oct. 21, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

' 2,614,397 7 REFRIGERATED sA Es DISPLAY Kris Richard E. Petty, Columbus, Ga. 2 Application September 7,1951, Serial Nth-245,613

This invention relates to av novel construction of a display kit for use by salesmen resembling 2 Claims. (01. 62-915) a piece of hand luggage when closed which is open condition while being utilized to display'the items contained therein without removal of the items from the display kit.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a display kit wherein a group of display items may be replaced as a unit with a different group of items to be displayed.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the kit in an upright, closed position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged substantially central vertical sectional view showing the kit in an open position;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken at a right angle to the plane of Figure 2 and substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the kit taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the combination sales display kit comprising the invention is designated generally 8 and includes a two part container, designated generally 9, similar to a suitcase or traveling bag the open sides of the sections l0 and II of which are disposed in abutting engagement when the container 9 is closed so that each section forms a closure'for the open side of the other section. The section it will be referred to as the bottom sect on anu the'section Has the top section, said sections being connected in a conventional manner along corresponding longitudinal edges thereof by hinges I2 and being retained in a closed position." as illustrated in Figure l, by any suitable conventionallatches 13. A carrying handle I4 is preferably secured to the free sides of the use section II between the latches 13 by which the kit 8' may be conveniently carried when closed, as illustrated in Figure 1. The end walls of the sections in and H are also connected by jointed braces I? which, when the kit is opened and the braces extended, as illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, will support the top section I I in substantially a vertical position as illustrated.

The top section I l is adapted to contain a non-- perishable display, designated generally it and which comprises a unit intended to be removed as a unit and replaced by a different nonperish able display of a similar unit structure. nonperishable display It as shown includes a backing member ll of any suitable relatively stiff materia1 against one side of which is disposed a number of display items [8 which may be secured to saidside inany suitable manner asby means of fine wires i9 each of which extends around an item [8, through openings 20 of the member. H and the ends of which strand N are secured together on the opposite side of the member ll. The member I! is detachably secured in the top section I by means of two or more screw fastenings 2| which extends through the backing member and are anchored in the top wall of the section l l to support the unit [6 in said section and so that the items l8 will be exposed to. view when the top section II is in an open, vertical position, as illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

The bottom section I0 is adapted to contain perishable display items underrefrigeration and has a tray'22 disposed therein and. which is pref erably formed of aluminum and includes a bottom 23, side walls 24 and end walls 25. The tray 22 is sized to fit within the bottom section II] and to afford sufficient clearance between the bottom, side walls and end walls of said section II! and the bottom, side walls and end walls of the tray 22 to provide a space therebetween containing heat insulating material 26 which completely lines the interior of the bottom section II), so that the bottom section I0 with the tray 22 and insulation 26 therein is of three ply .construction.

A removable container 27 adapted to contain Dry Ice is disposed in the tray 22 and extends The transversely thereof between its side walls 2 3 and is preferably located intermediate of the end walls 25. The Dry Ice container 21 is provided with the top wall or closure 28 which is hinged thereto by the hinges 29 and which is adapted to be opened for filling the container '27 with Dry Ice. The end portions of the tray 22 on either side of the container 27 may be divided into compartments 30-of different sizes and shapes by means of partitions 3i and 32. Two of the partitions 3| are shown disposed between one end wall 25 and the adjacent side wall of the container 27 to form three compartments at one end of the tray. The said partitions may be retained in place in any suitable manner as by having corresponding ends thereof disposed in channels 33 affixed to the outer side of one of the side walls of the container 21. The partition 32 is similarly lel to the longitudinal axis of the container 2? 1 and between one side wall 24 and the partition 32. The two side Walls of the Dry Ice container 27 are each provided with a plurality of ventilating apertures 35 forming communicating passages between the interior of the container 21 and the different compartments 39 to allow a free circulaexposing the open top of the tray. Accordingly, the perishable items, not shown, in the tray compartments 39 may be displayed while the tray is maintained in a refrigerated condition and while the closure 37, 39 does not provide a tight seal it will aiford a sufiicient seal to adequately maintain the compartments 3t and container 27 in a refrigerated condition so that Dry Ice, not shown, in the container 2'! will last a long period of time. It will also be apparent that the closure Bl, 39 will not interfere with the closing of the container kit 9.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l.'A sales display kit comprising a container consisting of a recessed bottom section and a top section connected to the bottom section for closing or exposing an open top of the bottom section,

tion of the cold air from the Dry Ice container to each of the compartments. As best illustrated in Figures 2 and 6, th side wall of the section it to which the hinges I2 are connected has a narrow strip 35 suitably secured to its inner side and at the open face of section I0 and which is disposed over one of the side walls 2d of the tray 22, which terminates below the other side wall 24, as illustrated in Figure 2, to accommodate the strip 36. However, the container 27 does not extend under the strip 36 but preferably abut thereagainst so that said strip will not interfere with removal of the container from the tray 22. A rectangular frame 3! is swingably connected along one longitudinal side thereof by hinges 3% to the strip 36. The frame 3'1 supports a transparent pane of glass or other suitable material 39 which is secured in an inwardly opening channel thereof. The opposite, free rail or side of the frame 31 is provided with a knob 49 by means of which the closure 31, 39 may be swung from a position in which it is disposed on the upper edge of the side and end walls of the tray 22, as illustrated in Figure 6, and inwardly with respect to the side and end walls of the bottom section 19, to and slightly beyond an upright position, as illustrated in Figure 2, for exposing the tray 22 so that perishable food items may be placed therein or removed therefrom and so that the container 21 may be applied or removed and refilled.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that when the transparent closure 31, 39 is in its position of Figure 6 it will substantially close the open top of the tray 22 to retain the cold air therein when the container 9 is in an open position as seen in Figures 2, 3 and 4, so that nonperishable items it will be clearly visible to a perspective customer and likewise the perishable items contained in the tray 22 will also be visible through the pane 39 and without the necessity of an elongated tray disposed in said bottom section including a bottom, side walls and end walls, a lining of heat insulating material disposed between the walls of said bottom section and the bottom, side walls and end walls of said tray, a refrigerant containing receptacle removably mounted in said tray transversely thereof and spaced from the end walls of the tray, a hinged closure forming a top wall of said receptacle, said receptacle having apertured side walls for the circulation of cold air between the interior of the receptacle and the end portions of the tray, a transparent closure connected to the tray and closing the open top thereof when the container is in either an open or a closed position, said transparent closure being swingably connected to the tray for swinging movement to an open position, when the top section is in a position for exposing the open top of the bottom section, for exposing the tray and receptacle, a plurality of detachable partitionsdisposed in the tray between the end walls thereof and the side walls of said receptacle and engaging said end walls of the tray and receptacle side walls for dividing the end portions of the tray into compartments and for retaining the receptacle against sliding movement longitudinally of the tray, and means secured to the side walls of the receptacle and detachably connecting the partitions to the receptacle.

2. A sales display kit as in claim 1, and at least one partition disposed between a side wall of the tray and one of said first mentioned partitions and forming additional tray compartments.

RICHARD E. PETTY.

REFERENCES QETED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 1,713,682 Walter May 21, 1929 2,122,738 Drummond July 5, 1933 2,399,787 Clerc May 7, 1946 2,457,043 Histand Dec. 21, 1948 2,491,114 Julin Dec. 13, 1949 

